Feeler mechanism for looms



May 1 H E. DlLL.

FEELER'MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Dec 19, 1921 Patented May 1, less :UNETEQ llh l idg attain earns,

hh l hhl l HORACE E. BILL, OF GRANITE VILLE, SOUTH GAIRULINA, ASSIGNGR TO DB'AIPER CORPO- RATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSAUHUSETT'S, A GORPOEATION OF MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM F013, LOGMS;

Application filed December 39, 1321. Serial lilo. 523,322.

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Honacn E. DILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Graniteville, in the county of Aiken and State of South Carolina, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawin'gs, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, wherein a fresh supply of filling is furnished when the filling in the shuttle becomes substantially exhausted.

The feeler mechanism must be sensitive either to the presence or substantial absence of filling, because should the fecler tail to indicate substantial exhaustion of filling on at detecting beat, defective cloth will result, Whereas if the feeler calls for a change of filling prior to complete exhaustion, a great Waste of am will take place. because the yarn which remains upon the filling carrier or bobbin when it is ejected from the shuttle, constitutes waste,

It sometimes happens that a filling carrier or bobbin is. ejected from the shuttle whileit still contains a substantial or working supply of filling, because the feeler may not accurately perform its detecting function, and the amount of waste thus produced. constitutes a great ob ection to some types of feeler mechanisms.

An important feature of the present 1nvention, therefore, consists of a feeler mechanism havin a re lenishing preventer which prevents t e call for replenishment by the feeler provided a working supply of filling still remains within the shuttle, but permits the functional 0 eration of the feeler to call the change, s ould the filling be substantially exhausted.

The above and other features of the present invention and novel. combination of parts will be made clear from the following description" and accompanying drawings of one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a'perspective view showing one form of feeler mechanism containing the present invention, andillustrating the operation when a ..w0rking supply of filling 5 is resent in the shuttle; and ig. 2 is a view similar to that of F1g. 1, showlng the operation ofi the mechanism ferring mechanism as well as the train of devices between the feeler and said mechanism for initiating the operation thereof may be of usual or any preferred'type.

In the present instance the feeleris shown as of the general character of the feeler mechanism shown, described and claimed in the patent to Edward S. Stimpson, No. 1,309,226, wherein the feeler is supported to enter the shuttle on each detecting beat in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, so that the frontward pressure upon the feeler may cause the lat: ter to he moved along the filling carrier or hohl when the filling is substantially exhaustcd. The advantages of the present invention are clearly manifested in connection with the Stimpson type of feeler mechanism, but of course the invention may be employedin other types of feeler mechanisms, and its advantages be realized in connection therewith.

The feeler stand 1 is adjustably secured to the supporting bracket 2 by means such as the bolt 3 which passes through agslot 4 in the feeler stand. Mounted in a suitable guideway 5 at the rear portion of thefeeler stand 1 is a controller'fi which is constituted as aiaterally-movable slide having a slotted portion 7 through which the feeler 8' extends. The controller 6 is connected to a transmitter 9 which isdtself connected to the train of mechanism for efiecting replenishment of filling" when the controller or slide 6 is moved laterally'or in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. A cover plate 10 is secured to the rear portion. of thefeeler stand by securing; means such as the screws or bolts 11 and forms a convenient means for rctainin the controller or slide 6 in its guide 5 and free for lateral movement therein.

The feeler 8 in the present instance is con-' nect'ed to a bridge 12 and extends front- Wardly thron aswiveled'block 13, between ill.

which and the bridge 12 is the spring 14: normally acting to move the teeler into its rearward feeling position.

lhe parts thus far described are substantially the same as the similar parts in the Stimps/on patent hereinbet'ore mentioned,

" and for a more full disclosure and descrip usual head 18 Within the shuttle.

tion thereof, reference may be had thereto. On each detecting beat of, the lay, the

feeler is moved frontwardly by engagement cation thereof, reference may be had to the Stimpson patent, hereinbelo're mentioned" When the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, the toothed end portion of the teeler will no longei be held from movement in adirection longitudinally of the shuttle by the small amount of filling still remaining on the filling; carrier or bobbin, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the movement of the feeler for calling a change of filling will. be effected.

It happens at times, however, that the rear end portion of the feeler fails to be held by the filling, even when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat, and iii such case replenishment of filling will be elected even though a working supply of filling still remains upon the filling carrier or bobbin. The waste incident to this defective action is considerable, and. it is important that the fecler be prevented from improperly indieating for a change oi" filling; when a work-- lug supply of filling; is present in the shuttle.

In the present instance the feelcr 8 has projection 20 which. when the feeler is en- Q'aged by a working mass of filling in the shuttle, as the lay moves lrontwarilly, is engaged at one side of a finger as the 'le lcr moves froutwardly, so that as the 'iressure of the filling'increases, and th tendency of the t'eeler to more longztul'lmally of the shuttle becomes more 'u'onoumred, the replenishing preventer acts to prevent the feelcr from responding to its tendency for movement longitudinally of the shuttle to thereby call the chang i in the present instance the teeler stand has extending rearwardly therefrom the prcrenter finger 21 which is adjustahly secured by a screw 22 or other securing means, to

t; iceler stand. As shown, the finger 21 a has its front portion slotted as at 23 so that by loosening the screw 22, the finger 21 con- 1 stituting a part ofthe preventer, may be adjusted rearwardly or frontwardly to properly locate it and the projection extending from the 'leeler so that when a Working supply of filling is present in the shuttle,-

the projection 20 will pass to one side of the finger 21, (to the left in the present in will slip or slide longitudinally thereof as indicated in Fig. 2, so. that the projection 20 will pass to the opposite side of the finger and the feeler will be free to call the change.

. The finger 21 is preferably formed with its rear end portion 24 pointed or shaped in such manner that as the feeler moves lrontwardly under the frontward pressure of a working mass of filling, the projection 20 will ride along the rear curved end portion of the finger and prevent movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle; but when, on a detecting beat, the filling is substantially exhausted, the longitudinal movement of th feeler will be effected by the front-ward pressure as indicated in before the projection with the result that the projection 20' will pass to the opposite side or to theright of the finger 21 and filling replenishment will be called The projection 20 is shown as a metal piece or wire secured to the feeler 8 rearward of the feeler stand, and it is provided with an upturned portion 25 which constitutes a part of the projection that rides alon the finger .21. The finger 21 is preferably lei-med also as a'metalpiece adjacent tion of the feeler, and ooacts with K ectio u 20 to prevent movement of the teeler to call a change of filling when there still remains sufficient filling in the shuttle for weaving purposes, but permits such u'mvement when the filling is substantially exhaustedon a detecting beat.

What is claimed is l. in a loom having a feeler mechanism, comprising,in combination, a feeler supported in a position and for normal movement inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle on each detecting beat and for abnormal movement at an increased incline tion to eil'ect replenishment of filling when the filling is substantially exhai'isted, a projection carried by the teeler, and a prerenter finger mountedin fixed position and to one side of which the projection passes in its normal inclined movement with a work- Fig. 2, 20 reaches the finger] on the frontward movement of the feeler,

ing supply of filling inthe shuttlelon a detecting beat, and to the other side of which the projection passes when the feeler .partakes of its abnormal inclined frontward movement upon substantial exhaustion of filling.

- 2A loom comprising, in combination,

ort secured in fixed position, is mounted to'slide in a normally inclined direction towards and from the front of the loom onsaid support on each detecting beat and to slide on said support in an abnormally inclined direction when the filling is substantially exhausted, a finger secured to the fixed support, and a projection carried b the feeler which is moved in an inclined direction frontwardly to pass at one side of the finger on the fixed supportduring normal movement of the feeler and to the oppositejside of-said finger when the feeler having a feeler mechanism, a teeler suppartakesof its abnormal inclined movement.

3. In a feeler mechanism 'for looms, the

combination of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and normally re-' strained from such movement on a detecting beat by engagement with the filling'until substantial exhaustion thereof, means for replenishing the filling when the teelcr par- 'takcs of its longitudinal movement on a detecting beat, avreplenishing preventer comprisinga member secured in fixed position and having its end extending rear- 'ward.ly'from the feeler stand, and a pro- I jection connected to the feeler back of the feeler stand and engaging at one side of the said member when the lay beats up on a detecting beat with a working supply of filling in the shuttle and passingL to the other side of said member when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler that is supported to a feeler that enter the shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle and for movement along the filling carrier by the front'ward'pre'ssure jon a-detecting beat to.

vent premature replenishment of filling when a working supply is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat.

front of the loom 5. In a feeler'meehanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler stand secured in fixed position, a feeler mounted directly upon the feeler stand to enter the shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axisfthereof and displaced frontwardly in an inclined direction byithe frontward pressure on a detecting beat, a projectionise curedto the feeler, a replenishing preventer comprising a rearwardly extended finger to one side of which the projection on the feeler passes as the feeler is moved in its inclined direction frontwardly when a working supply of filling is in the shuttle on a detecting. beat and to the other side of which it passes Whenthe filling is substan-.

tially exhausted. v

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combinationof an inclined feeler, a feeler stand, a'finger adjustably mounted on the feeler stand and having a tapered end portion and a projection on passes to one side of the tapered end portion of the finger as the'feeler is moved in an the 'feeler which inclined direction frontwardly by a Working supply of filling and to the other side of the finger when the filling issubstantially exhausted.

In testimony whereof, I. have signed name to this speclfieation.

HORACE E. DILL. 

